Extension table



` Aprll 28, 1959 w. cHRoBERsKY v2,884,293 EXTENSION TABLE I n Filed May12, 195s 2 sheets-sheet 1 INV ENTOR. Wl LLIHH CHROBERSKY .m

ATTOMEY April 28, 19,59 w. cHRoBr-:RSKY

EXTENSION TABLE 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed May 12. 1958 17 a LT-44 IAse,

| L' lll 5B United States Patent() EXTENSION TABLE William Chrobersky,Brooklyn, N.Y. Application May 12, 1958, Serial No. 734,552

2 claims. (Cl. S11-16.5)

This invention relates generally to tables. More particularly, theinvention has reference to an extension table, designed for beingcollapsed to a relatively small size, while still being extendable,Whenever it is to be used, to a substantial size,

An object of importance is to provide an extension table of thecharacter stated that will be highly compact, and will take up a minimumamount of iioor or closet area when it is not in use.

Another object is to so form the table` that when collapsed, it will bean attractive item, so that it can be left 1n view.

Another object is to provide a collapsible table of the characterdescribed that will be so formed as to be extendable to a very largesize, considering the size thereof when it is collapsed.

. Another object is to provide a collapsible table which will have allits relatively moving parts concealed from View when the table is not inuse, thus to lfurther increase the attractiveness of the device.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects 4andadvantages thereof, referencewill be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings,

and to the appended claims 1n which `the various ynovel features oftheinvention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:g

Fig. 1 is a ,side elevational view. of an extension table according tothe present invention, in its collapsed or folded condition. v

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View thereof.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the table, the table being shown in fulllines nitsfolded condition and in dotted lines in its unf` lded oroperative condition. I

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, vertical sectional view substantially on line4,-4 of Fig. 2. s

Fig.. 5 is a viewron the same scale as Fig. substantially on line/5 5ofFig. 4.

Fig. 6 isl an enlarged,transverse sectional view through the frontrlegs,substantially on line 6-.6 of Fig. 4.

, Fig. 7 is a view on` the rsame scale as Fig. 6, through one of therearlegs, taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 4. g

Fig, 8 is a still further enlarged fragmentary perspective` View showingthe hinge connection of the two forwardmost leaves. l y

Fig. 9, is a transverse sectional view through the table, onsubstantially the same scale as Fig. 4, taken on line Fig. 10 is a viewon the same scale as Fig. 9, comprising a horizontal Vsection throughthe table slide, substantially on line 10-10 of Fig. 9. i

Fig, 1 1 is a view ,looking upwardly at the table slide, from the line 11--11 of Fig. 9, on the same scale as Fig. 9, with the table Slide in afully` folded condition.

' Fig. l2 is a view like Fig. 1l, portions being broken away, showing a`fragmentary part of the table slide in an unfolded or extendedposition. Y

Fig. 13 is a detail View, the scale being enlarged still 4, taken ICC 2further, showing one of the hinges connecting the table leaves, as seenfrom line 13--13 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevational view of two of thetable leaves in an unfolded condition, illustrating the hinge of Fig.13. f, Referring to the drawings in detail, designated generally at 10in the several figures of the drawing is an extension table according tothe present invention. This includes side walls 12, which haverectangular rear portions 13 integral at their lower ends withforwardly. projecting front portions 14 that are substantially lower inheight than the rear portion, so that the side walls may each beconsidered as having a substantially L-shaped configuration when thetable is viewed from the side, as clearly seen in Fig. l. v v vReferring to Fig. 4, the table has a top wall 16 connected between theupper ends of the side walls, and a back wall 18 which closes the tableat the back and extends the full height of the rear portions 13 of theside walls. Connected between the side walls and projectingforwardlyfrom the lower end of the back wall, 18 is a bottom wall 20,which terminates short of the front edges of theV side walls.

It may thus be seen that the table includes a cabinetlike housingcomprised of the side walls, top wall, back wall, and bottomy wall. Saidhousing also includes a front defined by doors 22 which are hinged at 24to the side walls, and are swingable between the fullL line closedposition and open, dotted line position s hownin Fig. 3. The doors needto vbe opened only when the table is being extended or retracted.Thereafter, the doors can be kept closed. Thus, when the table isextended to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3, the doors can beimmediately closed after theextension operation. They may be left closeduntil such time as the table is to be collapsed to its normal Fig. 4condition.

The doors have pulls or handles 26 in a typical embodiment of theinvention.

The housing is supported upon rear legs 28 which are affixed at theirupper ends to the bottom wall 20, and which as shown in Fig. 7 are ofdiamond-shaped ork rhomboidal cross section.

At the frontcorners, the housing has blocks 30, which are xedly securedto the inner surfaces of the forwardly 'projecting portions ofextensions 14 of the side walls. Blocks 30 are integral or otherwiserigid at their lower ends with front legs 32 of the housing.

As will be noted from Fig. 6, each leg 32 is of isoscelestriangularcross section, area of a leg such as the rear leg Z8. The purpose ofthis arrangement will be described in greater detailhereafter.

Generally designated at 34 is the extension leaf assembly, designedl tobe extended forwardly out of the housing, and normally collapsed withinthe housing as shown in Fig. 4. In using the termleaf assembly, it willbe understoodvthat this term is intended to embrace not only the actualleaves of the assembly, but also all other movable portions. Theseinclude the table slide, the front end wall, and those front legs thatare moved forwardly with the front end wall. t f

Thus, the assembly 34 includes, at the front end there of, a front wall36. This extends transversely of the table, for substantially the fullwidth thereof (see Fig. 2). Front wall 36 is extended between theextensions 14 of the side walls as shown in Fig. 2, being normally ushwith the frontredges of the side walls. The side walls are slightlyhigher than the front wall 36. Fixedly secured to the rear surface ofthe front wall, as seen in Figs. 5 and 9, are blocks 38, which are inside-by-side relation to blocks 30 when the assembly 34 is in itscollapsed condition. Integral with the blocks 38 are movable front sPatented Amas, e.

that is, each leg 32 is half the.

legs 40. These are of triangular cross section, being oppositely butidentically formed to the adjacent legs 32 (see Fig. 6). As a result,each leg 32 and its adjacent leg 40 form a. front leg assembly at eachof the front corners, generally designated 41. Each front leg assemblyis of rhomboidal or diamond-shaped cross section, matching thecross-sectional shape of the rear legs 28. However, when the assembly 34is pulled forwardly to extend the table, each leg 40 moves forwardly outof its sideby-side relation to the adjacent leg 32.

This provides an attractive appearance to the table, when it iscollapsed. There is little indication of the fact that the legs 40 moveout of side-by-side relation to the legs 32, from their normal'positions beside the legs 32, said normal positions being shown in Fig.2 and in Fig. 9.

Fixedly secured to the top edge of the wall 36 is the front edge portionof a forwardmost leaf 42. Leaf 42 is horizontally disposed, and isexposed in front of the doors 22 when the table is in its collapsedcondition.

The forwardmost leaf 42 is hingedly connected to a second leaf 44 bymeans of a flat hinge 46 (see Figs. 4 and 8). The leaf 44 is verticallydisposed when collapsed, directly in back of the doors 22. It isslightly smaller in respect to the distance between its front and backedges, than is the leaf 42 or the remaining leaves 48 of the table.

Hinges 46 are ush hinges, and are Iarranged not to open beyond theninety degree angular relationship of its hinge leaves shown in Figs. 4and 8. When the table is extended, leaf 44 of course moves into coplanarrelationship to leaf 42, and at this time, the hinge leaves 47 4becomehorizontally aligned rather than in their rightangular relationshipshown in Figs. 4 and 8.

Behind the second leaf 44 are leaves 48, of which there may be anydesired number. In the illustrated example, there are thirteen leaves48, but this number could be made either smaller or larger, as desired.The rearmost leaf 48 is hingedly connected at 50 to the back wall 18.

Hinges 52 are used to connect the leaves 48 to each other. These hingesare of a well-known, commercially available type known as Soss hinges.Such a hinge appears as in Fig. 13. It is so designed that membersconnected thereby may be moved from side-by-side, facecontactingrelationship into a coplanar relationship, with the hinges beingcompletely concealed as shown in Fig. 14.

As will be noted, that leaf 48 which is immediately in back of the leaf44 is connected by a Soss hinge 52 at its upper edge to the upper edgeof the folded leaf 44. Then, the next leaf 48 is connected to the onehinged to leaf 44, by means of Soss hinges 52 located at the lower edgesof the leaves. In other words, the Soss hinges alternate between the topand bottom edges of the leaves. Thus, the leaves are all connectedaccordion-fashion, being hingedly connected to each other and beingfoldable to a position in which they are all in face-to-face contact invertical planes, as shown in Fig. 4. When the extension table isextended, then the leaves 44 move into a lcoplanar relationship, asshown in Fig. 3.

Generally designated at 54 is a table Islide, designed to preventsagging of the extended table. Table slides are known in and ofthemselves, and any of various conventional table slides may beemployed. It is understood that according to the number of leaves andthe distance that the table is capable of being extended, the tableslide may vary and may have any number of relatively slidable members.In the illustrated example, the table slide S4 includes eightside-by-side members. These are connected for relative sliding movementin the direction of their lengths between the fully collapsed conditionshown in Fig. ll and an extended position shown in Fig. 12.

The table slide has a plurality of members 56, all of which are similarto one another, and has one member 58..Whi,h kis identical to themembers 56 except .for having an upwardly opening longitudinal channelS9 (see Fig. The lower Soss hinges 52 have projecting portions when theleaves 48 are collapsed as in Fig. 4, and

. these projecting portions extend downwardly into the channel 59.

In the illustrated embodiment, there would be two identical table slideassemblies 54, transversely spaced as shown in Fig. 2, so as to providesupport at both sides of the extended table.

Since these assemblies 54 are identical to each other, the descriptionof one will sutlice for both.

Referring to Figs. 9-12, each member 56 has at one side a longitudinaltongue 61, slidably engaged in a cornplementary, longitudinal sidegroove 63 of the next adjacent member 56. As a result, each member 56 isconnected to similar members disposed at opposite sides thereof, forrelative longitudinal movement. Normally, in the collapsed condition ofthe table, all the members are coextensive, as shown in Fig. 10. At oneside of the assembly 54, there is a member 56 that is xedly secured atits forward end to the front wall 36. At the opposite side of the`assembly 54, a member 56 is secured at its rear end to the back wall18.

Projecting laterally from one side of each member 56 or 58 is a stopblock 62, provided at one end of each member. At the opposite end of themember there is a stop block or abutment 64.

It will thus be seen that the member 56 that is lixedly connected to thewall 36, when shifted forwardly, will slide relative to the nextadjacent member 58. Then, the block 62 of the forwardmost member 56comes into engagement with the block 64 of the next adjacent member 58.Member 58 is then pulled forwardly, and in turnits stop block 62 engagesthe block 64 of the next adjacent member 56. This continues over thefull length of the table slide, until the table slide is fully extendedsimultaneously with movement of all the leaves 48, to their fullyextended position.

In this way, when the table is pulled out to extend the same, as forexample to the dotted line position of Fig. 3, the table slidesautomatically extend, remaining in supporting relation to the leaves,which unfold to extend the table.

Referring now to Fig. 4, alternate leaves of the table are provided atone side with small side openings or recesses 66. Engageable in anyselected recess 66 is a drop or latch pin 68. This may be moved throughany of a plurality of openings 70 formed in one of the walls 12 (seeFig. 1) in registration with openings 66. Pin 68 is carried by a chain72 disposed exteriorly of the housing, said chain being secured to ananchoring plate 74 that is attached ixedly to the side wall 12.

Due to this arrangement, it will be seen that when the table is fullycollapsed, the pin 68 can be engaged in the forwardmost opening 66,being projected through the forwardmost opening 70 as shown in Fig. 1.This locks the leaves 48 against movement to extended positions.

Assuming that the table is to be extended, one removes the pin 68 andpermits it to hang down at the side of the table, if all the leaves 48are to be moved to horizontal, extended positions. The doors 22 areopened, and by grasping the front wall 36 rand moving the sameforwardly, one can pull the table to an extended position. First, leaf44 moves into coplanar relation with leaf 42, 'and then lsuccessivelyfollowing leaves 48 unfold and move into a horizontal plane, 4allsupported upon the now extended table slide assemblies 54.

After the table has been fully extended, the doors 22 are closed and thetable is ready for use.

If one were to desire. to extend the table only for part ofl its fully`extended length, onecan readily limit the extension of the table beyonda predetermined point. This is done by insertion of the pin 68 in aselected opening 70. If, for example, the pin 68 were inserted throughthat opening 70 which is disposed` at the direct middle of the row ofopenings 70 appearing in Fig. 1, it would engage in a correspondingopening 66. Therefore, in this situation only, the six forwardmostleaves 48 would move to horizontal position, together with leaf 44. Allthe leaves 4S from this point to the rearmost leaf 48, including the onein which the pin 68 is engaged, are locked in their collapsed, verticalpositions.

Thus, one can select the degree to which the table is to be extended,merely by insertion of pin 68 in any of the various openings 70. Thelock pin arrangement, thus, serves a highly desirable purpose. Not onlydoes it prevent the table from being extended `any more than isabsolutely desired, but also, when the table is in its fully collapsedcondition the lock pin holds all the leaves in their locked relation.This prevents their accidentally shifting from their proper, vertical,collapsed positions.

As will be seen, the table has various beneficial features. Whencollapsed, it occupies a very small floor area, and comprises anattractive piece of furniture, with all moving parts being completelyconcealed. When, however, it is desired to use the same as a table, itcan be extended to provide a quite large table area. Further, this areacan be selected by the user in the manner described above with referenceto the pin 68, so that the area is of a selected, adjusted size. Whenthe size has been selected by insertion of pin 68 in a selected one ofthe openings 66, one proceeds to extend the table Without fear that itwill be over-extended beyond the selected size. Further, the extensionof the table is achieved merely by forward movement of the front part ofthe table leaf assembly 34, and there is no need for one having tooperate complicated linking assemblies, special lock devices, etc. Oneneed not operate any devices that are under the table or at some otherinconvenient or relatively inaccessible location.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise construction herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. An extension table comprising a housing, and an extension assemblyincluding a series of table leaves hingedly connected to each other forrelative swinging movement about horizontal axes, said leaves collapsingaccordion-fashion within the housing and being extendable from thehousing into a common said extension assembly further including at leastone horizontal plane, 5

table slide assembly supportably underlying said leaves in the extendedpositions of the leaves, the housing including doors at the frontthereof in back of which the leaves are disposed in their collapsedcondition, said leaves when collapsed being disposed in vertical planes,in face-to-face contact with each other, said extension table furtherincluding lock means carried by the housing adapted for lockablyengaging a selected one of said leaves against movement relative to thehousing from its collapsed condition, whereby to permit extension onlyof a selected number of said leaves, said locking means including a pin,the housing and some `at least of said leaves having openingsregistering in the collapsed positions of the leaves, for extension ofthe pins through a selected pair of registered openings of the housingand leaves.

2. An extension table comprising a housing, and an extension assemblyincluding a series of table leaves hingedly connected to each other forrelative swinging movement about horizontal axes, said leaves collapsingaccordion-fashion within the housing and being extendable from thehousing into a common horizontal plane, said extension table includingfront and rear legs on the housing, the extension assembly including apair of front legs disposed in side-by-side relation to the first-namedfront legs in the collapsed positions of the leaves, said extensionassembly further including a forwardmost leaf disposed in horizontalposition in the retracted position of the extension assembly and securedto the second-named front legs, at the forward end of said series ofiirst-named leaves, to the horizontal leaf and being hingedly connectedat the rear end of said series to the back wall of the housing, saidiirst-named leaves all being disposed in vertical positions when intheir collapsed condition, the rearmost one of said series ofiirst-named leaves having a bottom edge hingedly joined to the housingat the back of the housing, downwardly from the uppermost portion of thehousing, said first-named leaves being connected to one another byhinges wholly concealed in the extended positions of the first-namedleaves, said extension table further including a latch pin releasablyengaging selected ones of the rst-named leaves in the collapsedpositions of said first-named leaves.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS531,010 Sigafoos Dec. 18, 1894 805,696 Arnold Nov. 28, 1905 2,054,843Weber Sept. 22, 1936 2,726,911 Mason Dec. 13, 1955

